Ospreys head coach Toby Booth saluted Alun Wyn Jones after what could prove the old warrior’s final game at the Swansea.com Stadium, a 37-18 win over the Dragons.
And his Dragons counterpart Dai Flanagan labelled the former Wales captain ‘superhuman’.
The 37-year-old Jones is out of contract at the end of his 18th season with the Ospreys. He is expected to go to the World Cup with Wales in the autumn, but beyond that his future is uncertain.
As he left the field on 71 minutes against the Dragons, the Ospreys’ final game in Swansea this season, Jones turned and acknowledged supporters. He also embraced team-mate Morgan Morris.
The crowd gave him a standing ovation with plenty viewing his salute to fans as the great lock saying goodbye.
"Everybody was probably making their own assumptions about Al,” said Booth.
“He was very good today.
"If that ends up being his last game he certainly has signed off at the Swansea.Com Stadium in style because I thought he was outstanding.
"He was physical in the loose. The thing with Al, he brings the mentality of the team to a different level because he leads by example. He is epitomised by how he defends and he turned over two maul-defence situations on his own, the unseen stuff. He has made a career out of doing the unseen work really well and we treasure that.”
Jones made his Ospreys bow as a 19-year-old in the first game at the then named Liberty Stadium, on September 4, 2005. Since then, he has piled up 265 Ospreys appearances. You can read here what became of his team-mates in his first game of professional rugby.
Booth was asked directly if he felt Jones would be playing for the Ospreys next season. "That's a decision more for him than for us and we will get to that,” he replied.
“As you can imagine contract cycles are very sensitive stuff at the moment and people's careers. Respectfully that will be a decision for him.”
The coach went on to talk about Jones’ legacy: “The word legend is bandied about a lot. You look at (Lionel) Messi at Barcelona and the impact he has had.
"Alun Wyn Jones is the Messi of the Ospreys because he has been a bloke who has been there from the very start, is still here and performing at the highest level. He’s still an international rugby player and probably going to a World Cup, the most capped international of all time. Those things don't happen by accident.
"I have not come across many players like him in my time. You get competitive and quality players but the ability to continually compete and drive yourself with your own performances at such a standard is rare.
"I can probably name those on one hand in my 20 years of coaching."
Flanagan also hailed Jones. “I played with Alun Wyn for Wales U16s, U18s, U19s and U21s.
“I also played a couple of seasons at the Ospreys with him.
“He’s a superhuman, isn’t he?
“He’s one of the most competitive men you’ll ever meet. He’s first to every race, first to everything in training. But he’s always on the money in how he manages himself and that’s why he’s managed to play for so long.
“His family can be really proud of him.
“And the Ospreys region can be really proud of how they’ve managed him over the years.
“I feel fortunate to have played with someone like him.”
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